2023 Coding Gift List
Suggestions on Gifts That Enable Kids to Grow Coding Skills While Having Fun!
A list of coding-related books and games which would be great to share with your kids this holiday season.
As the winter holidays grow nearer, many of our Ninja parents ask for advice on toys or gifts to get their children that aren’t just fun but could also be educational. The below suggestions are just a few of the tech and coding-related toys that allow our kids to expand their problem-solving and critical-thinking skills but are so engaging that they won’t even realize they are learning!
Micro:Bit Kits (ages 8+)
The Micro:Bit Starter Pack includes everything your child needs to get started learning several programming languages, including Scratch, JavaScript, and Python. Expansions can be made with other Micro:Bit kits — Micro:Bot for robotics, Micro:Craft for additional creativity and crafting, and Micro:Mods for electronics. Using the Amazon link above, parents also have the option to purchase a Bit bundle with the Micro:Mods and Micro:Craft kits, meaning that there’s no need to purchase the Starter Pack separately because the base Micro:Bit comes along with the kit. The Micro:Bit is one of my absolute favorite educational toys. My kids and I have made robots, games, and so much more; we’ve even used the Micro:Bit to make a Christmas Tree ornament that tells us when we need to water the tree.
Botley the Coding Robot Activity Set (ages 4+)
With a 77-piece activity set which includes a helpful starter guide, kids will have fun learning early STEM skills with Botley the Coding Robot. Through active play, kids will learn screen-free coding using a simple remote programmer that sends commands to Botley. Set up an obstacle course using the 27 obstacle-building pieces included for Botley to detect objects, follow looping commands, and even travel along a path made up of thin black lines. Botley is my 5-year-old’s favorite programmable robot.
Wonder Workshop Dash Robots (ages 6+)
Used in over 20,000 schools, Wonder Workshop’s Dash Robots allow your child to explore coding concepts like loops, events, conditions, and sequences with access to five free apps that come with your purchase. Kids will have a blast giving Dash Robot voice commands and expanding their knowledge with an open-ended learning platform. They’ll even have access to Wonder League, a community where kids can share ideas, collaborate, and work together to learn and grow. My kids love Dash’s quirky personality and have a blast playing with this cute robot around the house.
Books (5–12)
Code Ninjas has put together this list of books for kids to continue learning coding at home! With visual and imaginative storytelling, kids are exposed to new computer science concepts without them even realizing it. The books include Hello Ruby (series), How to Code (series), My First Coding Book, Secret Coders (series), and DKfindout! Coding. Additionally, the book Everything You Need to Ace Computer Science and Coding in One Big Fat Notebook (Big Fat Notebook series) was written by yours truly! The list shares more about these engaging and educational children’s books.
ThinkFun Board Games (ages 8+)
ThinkFun offers a variety of coding and logic board games that help children build the competencies necessary to understand coding concepts. These unplugged activities provide challenges in each game that work to sharpen different skills like problem-solving, reasoning, strategy, and creative thinking. Choose from puzzles, mazes, and construction games to fit your child’s interests. Some will be designed for 1 player while others are better played with family and friends!
Sphero SPRK+ (ages 8+)
Sphero SPRK+ is a programmable robot ball that enables kids to use their creativity to complete fun, hands-on activities that teach coding skills. Complete with sensors and LED lights, kids can code their Sphero to create any number of experiences. They also have the opportunity to share their inventions within the Sphero community to learn and collaborate with others. Kids can continue playtime with their robot by using Sphero Play, an educational app that allows them to control their Sphero and play games. My kids aren’t quite old enough (3 and 5) to program our Spheros but they love playing with them in drive mode! Exposure to robotics and computing is a great way to teach young kids about the digital work around us.
littleBits (ages 8+)
littleBits offers a variety of starter kits and inventor kits to engage kids in play-based STEAM activities. The littleBits kits give kids the opportunity to create electronic inventions that involve topics that they already love. Is your child interested in music, arcade games, lights, space, or even the Avengers? littleBits has a kit for that! With the use of a smart device, kids are introduced to the fundamentals of programming through block-based coding as they add capabilities to their creations. The electronic building blocks and easy in-app instructions make the creative process simple and fun for kids to let their imagination run free.
Founded in 2016, Code Ninjas® is the world’s largest and fastest-growing kids coding franchise, with nearly 400 locations open across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. At Code Ninjas locations, kids learn to code in a safe and clean environment, while building their own video games. They gain problem-solving, critical thinking, and STEM skills in a fun, safe, and inspiring environment. Kids have Fun, Parents see Results®. For more information, visit codeninjas.com.
